Vinhorama

Wine tasting with no bells and whistles

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Gallo Family White Zinfandel 2012

Hello wine lovers,

The wine today is a rosé, very similar to the previous rosé we reviewed since both are from California and were made with the same grape. However, there are some remarkable differences.  

Cheers!

Gallo Family White Zinfandel 2012

Date of tasting: January 5, 2014

Origins: USA, California

Grape: White Zinfandel

Served with: Penne a la carbonara

Colour: Orangy rosé

Alcohol by volume: 8.5%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.gallo.com

Impressions: Despite of the fact that this is a very pleasant wine, it did not pair well with the food. Its flavor is very fruity with hints of strawberry and cherry. A very sweet and light rosé. 

Buy again: Yes

Gift: No

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Peller Estates French Cross Pinot Grigio Sparkler

Hello wine lovers,

So, before I start this review I must admit that we were being really cheap on New Years Eve and decided to save some money buying a local and inexpensive sparkler. Oh boy, did that backfire on us...

Peller Estates French Cross Pinot Grigio Sparkler 

Date of tasting: January 1, 2014

Origins: Canada

Grape: Pinot Grigio

Served with: No food

Colour: Golden

Alcohol by volume: 12%

Cap: Plastic Sparkler Cap

Website: www.andrewpeller.com

Impressions: A very dry and bland sparkler that does not present strong fruit flavors. It is too carbonated, due to the fact that it was not produced under the process of champagnoise but the bubbles added afterwards. 

Buy again: No

Gift: No

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

La Puerta Torrontes 2013

Hello, 

We are back in the game! In this review another Argentine wine, but this time a white wine. This grape, Torrontes, is great for people who love grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc, like Marcelo for example. We hope you enjoy this one!

La Puerta Torrontes 2013

Date of tasting: December 25, 2013

Origins: Argentina, Famatina Valley

Grape: Torrontes

Served with: Grilled salmon and fettuccine with mushroom sauce 

Colour: White with light green and champagne shades

Alcohol by volume: 13%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.valledelapuerta.com

Impressions: This is a fruity and acidic wine with strong flavors of apple and pear. Very refreshing and smooth besides its high percentage of alcohol by volume. Marcelo felt that the pairing with the food was pleasant, but Roberta felt that the wine canceled the flavor of the food. 

Buy again: Yes

Gift: Yes

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Trivento Malbec 2012 Special Selection

Hello win lovers,

Long time, no see. I have been working on a conference for the past days (to which Vinhorama gave out some wine recommendation and consultancy) and it has all been way too crazy for me to have time to update Vinhorama. But now it is time! So let's go back and drink a South American wine again.

Trivento Malbec 2012 Special Selection

Date of the tasting: December 14, 2013

Origins: Argentina, Mendoza

Grape: Malbec

Served with: Roasted chicken with potatoes and eggplant caponatta

Colour: Dark red with yellowish tones

Alcohol by volume: 13.5%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.trivento.com

Impressions: A fruity wine presenting hints of strawberry and a very powerful aroma. It is the perfect amount of dry and slightly acidic. Easy to drink and a perfect pair for the food served. However, despite of all its fine qualities, this wine lacks a "je ne sais quoi".

Buy again: No

Gift: No

Mark: 

[vinhorama-blog]

Beringer White Zinfandel 2012

Hello wine addicts,

Today we are reviewing our first rosé. Hope you enjoy it!

Beringer White Zinfandel 2012

Date of the tasting: November 30, 2013

Origins: USA, California

Grape: White Zinfandel

Served with: Homemade burger, potato wedges and onion rings

Colour: Rosé with orange undertones

Alcohol by volume: 9.5%

Cap: Cork

Website: www.beringer.com

Impressions: A fresh wine, smooth and fruity. It presents the perfect amount of sweetness, however it is not a very striking wine. Its flavor is reminiscent of the summer, its light-body makes it a easy-going wine. It did not pair well with the food, beware, drink it during summer time with a light snack. Marcelo didn't enjoy it, but Roberta thought it was very pleasant. 

Buy again: No

Gift: No

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Baron Philippe de Rothschild D'OC Merlot 2012

Hello wine lovers,

Because it is the middle of the week we present to you a frenchie to lighten up the mood!

Cheers

Baron Philippe de Rothschild D'OC Merlot 2012

Date of the tasting: November 24, 2013

Origins: France, South

Grape: Merlot

Served with: Chicken risotto and vegetables

Colour: Rich Purple

Alcohol by volume: 13.5%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.bpdr.com

Impressions: Very pleasant aroma. A wine of classical flavor, exactly what one expects of a red wine. Despite of being sweet, this is a versatile wine that goes well with any meal. A crowd-pleaser. 

Gift: Yes

Buy Again: Yes

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Hello folks,

In our wine reviews we always include the food that the wine was served with, since we believe that a good pairing makes all the difference. Sometimes we don't get it right, but boy, oh it's good when you nail it!

Today we decided to share one of our recipes, we just cooked it last night and it was really tasty. Stuffed mushrooms are good because they tend to be  good match for most wines, however this ones have a little bit of hot sauce and bell peppers, making it a tad strong for smoother wines. 

Cheers and Eat Up!

Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients: 

1 tray of Paris mushrooms

1 small green bell pepper (thinly diced)

1/2 onion (thinly diced)

1 and 1/2 slice of whole wheat bread (diced)

1 pinch of minced garlic

1 handful of grated mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 teaspoon of sriracha

1 tablespoon of margarine

parsley

oregano

salt

black pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F or 175 C

Remove the stems from all of the mushrooms. It is easier to do it with your own hands by just pulling it off.

Mix all of the ingredients with the exception of the mushrooms in a big bowl. 

Fill the mushroom caps with the stuffing using a spoon.

Place the mushrooms in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until nice and golden.

Voilá! You got yourself some beautiful stuffed mushrooms!

[vinhorama-blog]

Black Cellar Blend 19 Shiraz Cabernet 2011-2012

Hello wine lovers,

Today we are reviewing our first blend from Ontario. I must admit that I didn't have very high expectations for this wine but I'm glad to say that I was wrong. We truly fell in love with Black Cellar, we even bought some more this month! I hope you too enjoy this cheap Ontario wine! Cheers

Black Cellar Blend 19 Shiraz Cabernet 2011-2012

Date of tasting: November 16, 2013

Origins: Canada, Ontario

Grape: Shiraz and Cabernet

Served with: Homemade pizza with toppings such as corn and bacon, pepperoni and vegetarian 

Colour: Pinkish Ruby Red

Alcohol by volume: 13%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.andrewpeller.com

Impressions: A very fruity and well-balanced wine, it has a pretty pleasant smooth body. While the wine presents a dry finish, its aroma is absolutely delicious. It paired extremely well with the pizza.  

Buy again: Yes

Gift: Yes

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Aveleda D'OC Vinho Verde 2012

Hello again wine lovers,

Have we got a treat for you tonight! This a review of a very specif kind of wine that is only made in Portugal called "vinho verde" (the literal translation would be green wine, however it is internationally know as vinho verde). This type of wine is made with a variety of green grapes that were harvested before they were ripe. The "vinho verde" goes through a brief effervescence process giving it a slightly sparkling character. It is considered a young wine, which should ideally be drunk within a year after bottling. Without further ado, we present you vinho verde.

  Aveleda D'OC Vinho Verde 2012 

Date of the tasting: November 14, 2013

Origins: Portugal

Grape: Loureiro, Trajadura and Arinto

Served with: Fish filet and spaghetti with white shrimp sauce

Colour: Light yellow

Alcohol by volume: 10%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.aveleda.pt

Impressions: This is a refreshing wine with a neutral flavor, light and carbonated. Tasty and versatile, this wine would go well with any dish. It is most definitely an easy palate wine.

Buy again: Yes

Gift: Yes

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Clean Slate Riesling 2012

Hello wine lovers!

Our first white wine is made of a traditional German grape: Riesling. We really loved this wine and have recommended it to a couple of friends who also loved it. We hope you like it too. 

Clean Slate Riesling 2012

Date of the tasting: November 9, 2013

Origins: Germany, Mosel

Grape: Riesling

Served with: Pad thai and shrimp fried rice

Colour: White with shades of yellowish-green

Alcohol by volume: 10.5%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.cleanslatewine.com

Impressions: This is a wine with strong fruit flavors, more specifically apples and pears. It is very striking full-bodied and acidic wine, without ever being overpowering. It paired well with the meal. The wine's low alcohol by volume percentage makes it a wine that calls for food. Overall it is an easy palate wine prone to be liked by most. 

Buy again: Yes

Gift: Yes

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Giulio Straccali D'OC Chianti 2012

Hello wine addicts,

This Italian Chianti opens a month when we decided to taste mostly European wines. What is really interesting about this particular wine is that it has the D'OC denomitantion,  Denominazione di origine controllata ("Controlled designation of origin"). This means that this wine is produced according to particular standards that can only be met within a specific wine region due to the terroir (a special combination of soil and climate) and wine-making tradition. Basically, the D'OC is a quality seal, meaning that this wine is a one of a kind product. Also, it is important to notice that the Chianti is one of Italy's signature grapes, simply put it is one of the best grapes to grow in Italy.

Giulio Straccali D'OC Chianti 2012

Date of the tasting: November 2, 2013

Origins: Italy, Tuscan

Grape: Chianti 

Served with: Eggplant caponata, vegetable risotto and fish fillet

Colour: Red with yellow shades

Alcohol by volume: 13%

Cap: Cork

Website: www.roccadellemacie.com

Impressions: This is a smooth and easy to drink wine. Its scent reminded us of fermentation, while the wine presents a strong oak aroma. The wine paired well with the food due to its acidic and fruity flavors. Nevertheless, served with the wrong dish such as salads with balsamic sauce or citric marinades, this would not be a good wine.  

Buy again: No

Gift: No

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Carmen Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Alto 2010

Good night folks!

On this post we are reviewing another Chilean wine. These medium red wines from Chile tend to be very smooth and versatile, making us very happy to try them! The following are our unpretentious impressions on this Cabernet Sauvignon.We try to make the reviews as easy as possible, without fancy words and technical terms that don't really matter for the regular twenty-something with 20 bucks on his wallet wine drinker. We hope you enjoy it!

Carmen Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Alto 2010

Date of the tasting: October 27, 2013

Origins: Chile, Valle del Maipo

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Served with: Penne a la carbonara accompanied by a green salad with balsamic sauce 

Colour: Red with orange shades of rust

Alcohol by volume: 14%

Cap: Cork

Website: www.carmen.com

Impressions: A smooth and delicate wine with oak flavors. Slightly dry and full bodied, this is a wine that drinks easily. The wine didn't pair well with the pasta, however it was a good match with the balsamic sauce.  

Buy again: Yes

Gift: Yes

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Carmenere 2012

Hello y'all!

For our second review we decided to taste a south american wine. Hope you enjoy it! Cheers!

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Carmenere 2012

Date of the tasting: October 21, 2013

Origins: Chile

Grape: Carmenere

Served with: Cheeses and cold cuts

Colour: Ruby, intense red

Alcohol by volume: 13.5%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.casillerodeldiablo.com

Impressions: Smooth and easy to drink, this is a very fruity wine.  Flavorful and pleasant. The cheese aids in accentuating how fruity this wine actually is, overall good pairing. Roberta found the wine to be a bit dull, but not unpleasant. With time and airing the wine reveals stronger flavors.

Buy again: Yes

Gift: Yes

Mark:

[vinhorama-blog]

Obikwa Shiraz 2012

Hello! 

In our first blog post here at Vinhorama we have decided to showcase the first wine of our wine review notebook. This wine was recommended by Marcelo's mother, Silvia, she really enjoys dry and pungent wines. Just so you know, these are our personal impressions on this wine, you may have a different opinion about it. Remember: a good wine is not necessarily an expensive wine, a good wine is simply a wine that you truly enjoy!

Obikwa Shiraz 2012

Date of the tasting: October 14, 2013

Origins: South Africa

Grape: Shiraz

Served with: Fillet, asparagus and rice

Colour: Ruby Red

Alcohol by volume: 13.5%

Cap: Screwcap

Website: www.obikwa.com

Impressions: The wine paired very well with the food. It is a monotonic wine, with an aftertaste that is a tad bitter. Overall it is a very dry wine. A bit on the strong side for us.

Buy again: No

Gift: Yes

Mark: